NStar and golf course come under fire
Published on October 17th, 2001
STONEHAM, MA - Selectmen met two weeks ago to figure out how to deal with problems looming on the Stoneham horizon.
Electric service
Selectmen talked about leaving NStar, formerly Boston Edison, and becoming a part of the Reading Municipal Light Department’s territory. The RMLD serves Reading, North Reading and sections of Wilmington, Tewksbury and Lynnfield.
Attorney John Shortsleeve, a municipal law specialist, has offered to analyze the feasibility of joining the RMLD group for a $15,000 fee. Selectmen are considering the offer and are unlikely to make a decision before the Oct. 29 Town Meeting.
Switching to RMLD service would require some serious legal work and a Town Meeting vote.
Selectmen will meet with Commissioner Gene Sullivan of the Department of Energy and Telecommunications on Oct. 23 to discuss power options and what NStar is doing to improve its poor track record of outages.
Recreation profits
Selectman Darin Leahy says the Unicorn Golf Course and the Stoneham Oaks should be making more money.
Both town courses are managed by the Munros, acting as an independent contractor.
Leahy proposes changing the management contract for the town courses from a costs plus fixed fee arrangement to a contract offering the management a percentage of the gross as an incentive to bring in more golfers.
“Look at Middleton. Look at Wakefield... We can do better,” Leahy said.
He proposed to put the job out to bid with a new incentive based contract when the current contract expires next year.
No one answered the phone at the Unicorn Golf Course Monday afternoon.
Leahy also said the Board should look at the marketing efforts of town employees running the Stoneham Arena.
Gutierrez development
“There is unanimous support from the Board of the Gutierrez project,” Selectmen Chairman Kennedy said.
However, Kennedy added that drainage problems in the Ravine Road area should be addressed whether or not the project moves forward.
The MDC
Selectmen have written to the Metropolitan District Commission asking for written notice of MDC work scheduled in Stoneham. The request is an effort to avoid the confusion caused when the MDC paved a parking lot near Campbell Road last year without letting neighbors know what was happening.
Fire station
Mark Morse, the author of a 55 page report telling Stoneham the town doesn’t need another fire station, will be before the Selectmen Oct. 23.
The Board is still uncertain about what public safety improvements to fund at the Oct. 29 Town Meeting. So far, Selectmen have not recommended any of the Fire Department articles.
Town Administrator’s role
TA Dave Berry wants to be kept in the loop. He told Selectmen at the Oct. 9 goals meeting that Stoneham will run more smoothly if Board members and department heads communicate through him.
Temporary employees
According to the Stoneham Town Code, temporary employees can be hired without advertising. Temporary employment is defined as up to 30 days. Selectmen discussed extending this period to 90 days at a future Town Meeting.
Grants
Kennedy stressed the importance of searching for grants during tough economic times.
“Finding grants should be part of the job of all department heads,” Kennedy said.
The police receive $600,000 annually from combined federal and state grants, Kennedy noted.
Middle School
This $25 million project is on hold. Uncertainty over which location — high school grounds or existing site — would work best and the rising cost of the elementary school building project have pushed new Middle School construction down the town’s wish list.
Budget
Town officials are still waiting for the free cash number from the Department of Revenue. Free cash is money left over in line items or receipts in excess of estimates on taxes. This figure is crucial in determining what Stoneham can afford at Town Meeting.
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